Meta laughed, for Ethel's sham was not too successful; she continued,
"Dear Dr. May, I thought he would think his beautiful Flora not exactly
matched--but tell him, Ethel, for if he once is sorry for poor George,
he will like him. And it will really be the making of George, to be
thrown with him and your brothers. Oh! we are so glad! But I won't tease
you to be so."

"I can like it better now," said Ethel. "You know Norman thinks very
highly of your brother, and declares that it will all come out by and
by."

Meta clapped her hands, and said that she should tell her father, and
Ethel parted with her, liking her, at least, better than ever. There
was a comical scene between her and the doctor, trying to define what
relations they should become to each other, which Ethel thought did a
good deal to mollify her father.

The history of George's life did more; he took to pitying him, and pity
was, indeed, akin to love in the good doctor's mind. In fact, George
was a man who could be liked, when once regarded as a belonging--a
necessity, not a choice; for it was quite true that there was no harm in
him, and a great deal of good nature. His constant kindness, and evident
liking for Margaret, stood him in good stead; he made her a sort of
confidante, bestowing on her his immeasurable appreciation of Flora's
perfections, and telling her how well he was getting on with "the old
gentleman"--a name under which she failed to recognise her father.

As to Tom, he wrote his congratulations to Ethel, that she might make
a wedding present of her Etruscan vases, the Cupids on which must have
been put there by anticipation. Richard heard none of the doubts,
and gave kind, warm congratulations, promising to return home for
the wedding; and Mary and Blanche no sooner heard a whisper about
bride's-maids than all their opposition faded away, in a manner that
quite scandalised Ethel, while it set Margaret on reminiscences of
her having been a six-year-old bride's-maid to Flora's godmother, Mrs.
Arnott.

As to the gossip in the town, Ethel quite dreaded the sight of every one
without Flora to protect her, and certainly, Flora's unaffected, quiet
manner was perfection, and kept off all too forward congratulations,
while it gratified those whom she was willing to encourage.

There was no reason for waiting, and Mr. Rivers was as impatient as his
son, so an understanding arose that the wedding, should take place near
the end of the Christmas